tales and fantasies-第29部分

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turned　to　leave　the　room。



'Why；　what　in　fortune's　name　is　the　meaning　of　all　this？'

cried　Van　Tromp。　　'Esther　come　back！'



'Let　her　go；'　said　Dick；　and　he　watched　her　disappear　with

strangely　mingled　feelings。　　For　he　had　fallen　into　that

stage　when　men　have　the　vertigo　of　misfortune；　court　the

strokes　of　destiny；　and　rush　towards　anything　decisive；　that

it　may　free　them　from　suspense　though　at　the　cost　of　ruin。

It　is　one　of　the　many　minor　forms　of　suicide。



'She　did　not　love　me；'　he　said；　turning　to　her　father。



'I　feared　as　much；'　said　he；　'when　I　sounded　her。　　Poor　Dick；

poor　Dick。　　And　yet　I　believe　I　am　as　much　cut　up　as　you　are。

I　was　born　to　see　others　happy。'



'You　forget；'　returned　Dick；　with　something　like　a　sneer；

'that　I　am　now　a　pauper。'



Van　Tromp　snapped　his　fingers。



'Tut！'　said　he；　'Esther　has　plenty　for　us　all。'



Dick　looked　at　him　with　some　wonder。　　It　had　never　dawned

upon　him　that　this　shiftless；　thriftless；　worthless；　sponging

parasite　was　yet；　after　and　in　spite　of　all；　not　mercenary　in

the　issue　of　his　thoughts；　yet　so　it　was。



'Now；'　said　Dick；　'I　must　go。'



'Go？'　cried　Van　Tromp。　　'Where？　　Not　one　foot；　Mr。　Richard

Naseby。　　Here　you　shall　stay　in　the　meantime！　and　…　well；　and

do　something　practical　…　advertise　for　a　situation　as　private

secretary　…　and　when　you　have　it；　go　and　welcome。　　But　in　the

meantime；　sir；　no　false　pride；　we　must　stay　with　our　friends；

we　must　sponge　a　while　on　Papa　Van　Tromp；　who　has　sponged　so

often　upon　us。'



'By　God；'　cried　Dick；　'I　believe　you　are　the　best　of　the

lot。'



'Dick；　my　boy；'　replied　the　Admiral；　winking；　'you　mark　me；　I

am　not　the　worst。'



'Then　why；'　began　Dick；　and　then　paused。　　'But　Esther；'　he

began　again；　once　more　to　interrupt　himself。　　'The　fact　is；

Admiral；'　he　came　out　with　it　roundly　now；　'your　daughter

wished　to　run　away　from　you　to…day；　and　I　only　brought　her

back　with　difficulty。'



'In　the　pony　carriage？'　asked　the　Admiral；　with　the　silliness

of　extreme　surprise。



'Yes；'　Dick　answered。



'Why；　what　the　devil　was　she　running　away　from？'



Dick　found　the　question　unusually　hard　to　answer。



'Why；'　said　he；　'you　know；　you're　a　bit　of　a　rip。'



'I　behave　to　that　girl；　sir；　like　an　archdeacon；'　replied　Van

Tromp　warmly。



'Well　…　excuse　me　…　but　you　know　you　drink；'　insisted　Dick。



'I　know　that　I　was　a　sheet　in　the　wind's　eye；　sir；　once　…

once　only；　since　I　reached　this　place；'　retorted　the　Admiral。

'And　even　then　I　was　fit　for　any　drawing…room。　　I　should　like

you　to　tell　me　how　many　fathers；　lay　and　clerical；　go

upstairs　every　day　with　a　face　like　a　lobster　and　cod's　eyes

…　and　are　dull；　upon　the　back　of　it　…　not　even　mirth　for　the

money！　　No；　if　that's　what　she　runs　for；　all　I　say　is；　let

her　run。'



'You　see；'　Dick　tried　it　again；　'she　has　fancies　…　'



'Confound　her　fancies！'　cried　Van　Tromp。　　'I　used　her　kindly；

she　had　her　own　way；　I　was　her　father。　　Besides　I　had　taken

quite　a　liking　to　the　girl；　and　meant　to　stay　with　her　for

good。　　But　I　tell　you　what　it　is；　Dick；　since　she　has　trifled

with　you　…　Oh；　yes；　she　did　though！　…　and　since　her　old

papa's　not　good　enough　for　her　…　the　devil　take　her；　say　I。'



'You　will　be　kind　to　her　at　least？'　said　Dick。



'I　never　was　unkind　to　a　living　soul；'　replied　the　Admiral。

'Firm　I　can　be；　but　not　unkind。'



'Well；'　said　Dick；　offering　his　hand；　'God　bless　you；　and

farewell。'



The　Admiral　swore　by　all　his　gods　he　should　not　go。　　'Dick；'

he　said；　'You　are　a　selfish　dog；　you　forget　your　old　Admiral。

You　wouldn't　leave　him　alone；　would　you？'



It　was　useless　to　remind　him　that　the　house　was　not　his　to

dispose　of；　that　being　a　class　of　considerations　to　which　his

intelligence　was　closed；　so　Dick　tore　himself　off　by　force；

and；　shouting　a　good…bye；　made　off　along　the　lane　to

Thymebury。









CHAPTER　IX　…　IN　WHICH　THE　LIBERAL　EDITOR　RE…APPEARS　AS　'DEUS

EX　MACHINA'







IT　was　perhaps　a　week　later；　as　old　Mr。　Naseby　sat　brooding

in　his　study；　that　there　was　shown　in　upon　him；　on　urgent

business；　a　little　hectic　gentleman　shabbily　attired。



'I　have　to　ask　pardon　for　this　intrusion；　Mr。　Naseby；'　he

said；　'but　I　come　here　to　perform　a　duty。　　My　card　has　been

sent　in；　but　perhaps　you　may　not　know；　what　it　does　not　tell

you；　that　I　am　the　editor　of　the　THYMEBURY　STAR。'



Mr。　Naseby　looked　up；　indignant。



'I　cannot　fancy；'　he　said；　'that　we　have　much　in　common　to

discuss。'



'I　have　only　a　word　to　say　…　one　piece　of　information　to

communicate。　　Some　months　ago；　we　had　…　you　will　pardon　my

referring　to　it；　it　is　absolutely　necessary　…　but　we　had　an

unfortunate　difference　as　to　facts。'



'Have　you　come　to　apologise？'　asked　the　Squire；　sternly。



'No；　sir；　to　mention　a　circumstance。　　On　the　morning　in

question；　your　son；　Mr。　Richard　Naseby　…　'



'I　do　not　permit　his　name　to　be　mentioned。'



'You　will；　however；　permit　me；'　replied　the　Editor。



'You　are　cruel；'　said　the　Squire。　　He　was　right；　he　was　a

broken　man。



Then　the　Editor　described　Dick's　warning　visit；　and　how　he

had　seen　in　the　lad's　eye　that　there　was　a　thrashing　in　the

wind；　and　had　escaped　through　pity　only　…　so　the　Editor　put

it　…　'through　pity　only　sir。　　And　oh；　sir；'　he　went　on；　'if

you　had　seen　him　speaking　up　for　you；　I　am　sure　you　would

have　been　proud　of　your　son。　　I　know　I　admired　the　lad

myself；　and　indeed　that's　what　brings　me　here。'



'I　have　misjudged　him；'　said　the　Squire。　　'Do　you　know　where

he　is？'



'Yes；　sir；　he　lies　sick　at　Thymebury。'



'You　can　take　me　to　him？'



'I　can。'



'I　pray　God　he　may　forgive　me；'　said　the　father。



And　he　and　the　Editor　made　post…haste　for　the　country　town。



Next　day　the　report　went　abroad　that　Mr。　Richard　was

reconciled　to　his　father　and　had　been　taken　home　to　Naseby

House。　　He　was　still　ailing；　it　was　said；　and　the　Squire

nursed　him　like　the　proverbial　woman。　　Rumour；　in　this

instance；　did　no　more　than　justice　to　the　truth；　and　over　the

sickbed　many　confidences　were　exchanged；　and　clouds　that　had

been　growing　for　years　passed　away　in　a　few　hours；　and　as

fond　mankind　loves　to　hope；　for　ever。　　Many　long　talks　had

been　fruitless　in　external　action；　though　fruitful　for　the

understanding　of　the　pair；　but　at　last；　one　showery　Tuesday；

the　Squire　might　have　been　observed　upon　his　way　to　the

cottage　in　the　lane。



The　old　gentleman　had　arranged　his　features　with　a　view　to

self…command；　rather　than　external　cheerfulness；　and　he

entered　the　cottage　on　his　visit　of　conciliation　with　the

bearing　of　a　clergyman　come　to　announce　a　death。



The　Admiral　and　his　daughter　were　both　within；　and　both

looked　upon　their　visitor　with　more　surprise　than　favour。



'Sir；'　said　he　to　Van　Tromp；　'I　am　told　I　have　done　you　much

injustice。'



There　came　a　little　sound　in　Esther's　throat；　and　she　put　her

hand　suddenly　to　her　heart。



'You　have；　sir；　and　the　acknowledgment　suffices；'　replied　the

Admiral。　　'I　am　prepared；　sir；　to　be　easy　with　you；　since　I

hear　you　have　made　it　up　with　my　friend　Dick。　　But　let　me

remind　you　that　you　owe　some　apologies　to　this　young　lady

also。'



'I　shall　have　the　temerity　to　ask　for　more　than　her

forgiveness；'　said　the　Squire。　　'Miss　Van　Tromp；'　he

continued；　'once　I　was　in　great　distress；　and　knew　nothing　of

you　or　your　character；　but　I　believe　you　will　pardon　a　few

rough　words　to　an　old　man　who　asks　forgiveness　from　his

heart。　　I　have　heard　much　of　you　since　then；　for　you　have　a

fervent　advocate　in　my　house。　　I　believe　you　will　understand

that　I　speak　of　my　son。　　He　is；　I　regret　to　say；　very　far

from　well；　he　does　not　pick　up　as　the　doctors　had　expected；

he　has　a　great　deal　upon　his　mind；　and；　to　tell　you　the

truth；　my　girl；　if　you　won't　help　us；　I　am　afraid　I　shall

lose　him。　　Come　now；　forgive　him！　　I　was　angry　with　him　once

myself；　and　I　found　I　was　in　the　wrong。　　This　is　only　a

misunderstanding；　like　the　other；　believe　me；　and　with　one

kind　movement；　you　may　give　happiness　to　him；　and　to　me；　and

to　yourself。'



Esther　made　a　movement　towards　the　door；　but　long　before　she

reached　it　she　had　broken　forth　sobbing。



'It　is　all　right；'　said　the　Admiral；　'I　understand　the　sex。

Let　me　make　you　my　compliments；　Mr。　Naseby。'



The　Squire　was　too　much　relieved　to　be　angry。



'My　dear；'　said　he　to　Esther；　'you　must　not　agitate

yourself。'



'She　had　better　go　up　and　see　him　right　away；'　suggested　Van

Tromp。



'I　had　not　ventured　to　propose　it；'　replied　the　Squire。　　'LES

CONVENANCES；　I　believe　…　'



'JE　M'EN　FICHE；'　cried　the　Admiral；　snapping　his　fingers。

'She　shall　go　and　see　my　friend　Dick。　　Run　and　get　ready；

Esther。'



Esther　obeyed。



'She　has　not　…　has　not　run　away　again？'　inquired　Mr。　Naseby；

as　soon　as　she　was　gone。



'No；'　said　Van　Tromp；　'not　again。　　She　is　a　devilish　odd　girl

though；　mind　you　that。'



'But　I　cannot　stomach　the　man　with　the　carbuncles；'　thought

the　Squire。



And　this　is　why　there　is　a　new　household　and　a　brand…new　baby

in　Naseby　Dower　House；　and　why　the　great　Van　Tromp　lives　in

pleasant　style　upon　the　shores　of　England；　and　why　twenty…six

individual　copies　of　the　THYMEBURY　STAR　are　received　daily　at

the　door　of　Naseby　House。









End